Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 13 & 14 : 17-Dec-18

Australia’s benchmark S&P/ASX 200 has shed 7.6 per cent so far in 2018, having peaked at a 10-year high of 6,373.5 points in August. However, market strategists are upbeat about the outlook for local shares in 2019, with a median forecast for the S&P/ASX 200 to gain 11 per cent in the next year. Domestic and global factors may weigh on market sentiment in 2019, including the economic outlook, falling Australian house prices, the prospect of interest rate rises in the US and Europe, and ongoing uncertainty surrounding Britain’s exit from the European Union.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD, AMP CAPITAL INVESTORS LIMITED, JP MORGAN AUSTRALIA LIMITED, STANDARD AND POOR’S 500 INDEX, MST MARQUEE, MORGAN STANLEY AUSTRALIA LIMITED, CITIGROUP PTY LTD

Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 27 : 13-Dec-18

Australia’s benchmark index posted its second-largest one-day gain for 2018 on 12 December, while some key Asian markets also rallied amid signs of a thawing of relations between the US and China. Meanwhile, the S&P/ASX 200’s forward price-earnings ratio fell below its long-term average of about 14 times on 10 December and the index’s estimated dividend yield reached a two-year high of 5.2 per cent. It should also be noted that over the last two decades, the S&P/ASX 200 has gained an average of two per cent during the last two weeks of a calendar year.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, HANG SENG INDEX, NIKKEI 225 INDEX, KOSPI INDEX, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, HUAWEI TECHNOLOGIES COMPANY LIMITED, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, UNITED STATES. FEDERAL RESERVE BOARD

Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 29 : 16-Nov-18

The S&P/ASX 200 reached an intra-day low of 5,686.8 points on 15 November, before recovering to post a modest gain for the session. The recent sell-off means that with some exceptions, the Australian sharemarket now offers quite good value. The market’s forward price-earnings ratio is now slightly above its long-term average, while the dividend yield of five per cent is at its highest level in almost three years. Meanwhile, the benchmark index has recorded an average gain of 2.1 per cent in December over the last five years.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED

Original article by David Rogers
The Australian – Page: 17 & 27 : 15-Nov-18

The Australian sharemarket has now shed more than 10 per cent since it peaked at a 10-year high in August. The 3.5 per cent decline in the last two trading sessions followed a rebound in recent weeks, after the local market fell 6.1 per cent in October. Blue-chip stocks in particular have been heavily sold down, and traders suggest that offshore selling has been a major driver of the pullback. Richard Coppleson of Bell Potter says this could potentially result in a rebound in the next week or so.

CORPORATES
STANDARD AND POOR’S ASX 200 INDEX, BELL POTTER SECURITIES LIMITED, TELSTRA CORPORATION LIMITED – ASX TLS, COMMONWEALTH BANK OF AUSTRALIA – ASX CBA, WESTPAC BANKING CORPORATION – ASX WBC, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, WESFARMERS LIMITED – ASX WES, BHP BILLITON LIMITED – ASX BHP, RIO TINTO LIMITED – ASX RIO, WOODSIDE PETROLEUM LIMITED – ASX WPL, SOUTH32 LIMITED – ASX S32, CSL LIMITED – ASX CSL, FORTESCUE METALS GROUP LIMITED – ASX FMG, SANTOS LIMITED – ASX STO, COCHLEAR LIMITED – ASX COH, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, NINE ENTERTAINMENT COMPANY HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX NEC, PACT GROUP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX PGH, RAMSAY HEALTH CARE LIMITED – ASX RHC, BINGO INDUSTRIES LIMITED – ASX BIN, AUSNET SERVICES LIMITED – ASX AST, COMPUTERSHARE LIMITED – ASX CPU, MEDIBANK PRIVATE LIMITED – ASX MPL, SHANGHAI COMPOSITE INDEX, HANG SENG INDEX, NIKKEI 225 INDEX, KOSPI INDEX, UNITED STATES. EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT, ORGANISATION OF PETROLEUM EXPORTING COUNTRIES, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, CREDIT SUISSE (AUSTRALIA) LIMITED